The Nigerian Army said on Thursday that its troops had rescued two soldiers kidnapped in the course escort duties while killing many of their abductors and destroying their shrine in Rivers State.
The troops also destroyed three pump action guns, eight empty cartridges, a human skull and some bones in the shrines from where the soldiers and other victims of the kidnappers were rescued.
While explain how the operation that led to the rescue of the soldiers, Major Ibrahim Abdullahi, Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre said, “On 18th September 2017, at about 7:30 am, Headquarters OPERATION DELTA SAFE received a report of kidnap of two Soldiers’ while on transit for banking services in ONELGA, Rivers State.
“Troops were immediately mobilized, swung into action and discovered a militant camp with several shrines in a forest at Obiozimini Community in Rivers State.
“On approach, the suspected militants\cultists opened fire on the troops who subsequently engaged them with superior fire power leading to casualties on the side of suspected kidnappers while others escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds into an adjoining forest.
“The operation successfully rescued the 2 abducted personnel.
“Further search of the campsite led to the rescue of 4 more civilians that were earlier kidnapped including a lady.
“The following items were also discovered in the camp and shrines;
a. Three pump action guns
b. Eight empty cartridges
c. A human skull and some bones
“The camp and shrines were subsequently destroyed while the rescued victims were evacuated to one of our medical facilities in the area. In order to arrest the perpetrators of this heinous crime troops are trailing the criminals who fled into the forest. Members of the public are kindly requested to provide any useful information to identify these criminals and their whereabouts in order to face justice.”
